Nemesia plant named ‘Kirine-44’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Nemesia  plant named ‘Kirine-44’, characterized by its upright, outwardly spreading and uniformly mounded growth habit; freely branching and flowering plant habit; large creamy white-colored flowers that are fragrant; relatively tolerant to high temperatures; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Nemesia hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘KIRINE-44’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Nemesia plant, botanically known as Nemesia hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Kirine-44’.

The new Nemesia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Tochigi, Japan. The objective of the breeding program is to create new Nemesia cultivars with good vigor and attractive flower coloration.

The new Nemesia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in February, 2007 in Tochigi, Japan of two unidentified selections of Nemesia hybrida, not patented. The new Nemesia was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Tochigi, Japan in October, 2007.

Asexual reproduction of the new Nemesia plant by terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in Tochigi, Japan since November, 2007, has shown that the unique features of this new Nemesia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Nemesia have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Kirine-44’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Kirine-44’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Nemesia:

-   -   1. Upright, outwardly spreading and uniformly mounded growth         habit.     -   2. Freely branching and flowering plant habit.     -   3. Large creamy white-colored flowers that are fragrant.     -   4. Relatively tolerant to high temperatures.     -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Nemesia can be compared to plants of the parent selections. Plants of the new Nemesia are more vigorous and have larger flowers than plants of the female parent selection and smaller flowers than plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Nemesia can be compared to plants of the Nemesia ‘Kirine-4’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,271. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in De Lier, The Netherlands, plants of the new Nemesia differed primarily from plants of ‘Kirine-4’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Nemesia were more mounding and denser than         plants of ‘Kirine-4’.     -   2. Plants of the new Nemesia and ‘Kirine-4’ differed in flower         color as plants of ‘Kirine-4’ had more yellow-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Nemesia can also be compared to plants of the Nemesia ‘Intraiwhi’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,502. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in De Lier, The Netherlands, plants of the new Nemesia differed primarily from plants of ‘Intraiwhi’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Nemesia were stronger and sturdier than         plants of ‘Intraiwhi’.     -   2. Plants of the new Nemesia had larger flowers than plants of         ‘Intraiwhi’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Nemesia, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Nemesia.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Kirine-44’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used for the aforementioned photographs and following description were grown under conditions which closely approximate commercial production conditions during the summer and autumn in a glass-covered greenhouse in De Lier, The Netherlands for twelve weeks in containers. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 17° C. to 30° C. and night temperatures ranged from 16° C. to 18° C. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Nemesia hybrida ‘Kirine-44’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unidentified selection of Nemesia             hybrida, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unidentified selection of Nemesia             hybrida, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About four to seven days at             18° C. to 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About seven to ten days at             18° C. to 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About two             weeks at 16° C. to 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About three             weeks at 16° C. to 20° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; creamy white             in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright, outwardly spreading and             uniformly mounded growth habit. Freely branching habit with             lateral branches potentially forming at every node; pinching             enhances lateral branch development. Moderately vigorous             growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 13 cm to 15 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 27 cm to 30 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 8 cm to 9 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 2 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 1.5 cm to 3 cm.         -   Strength.—Strong.         -   Aspect.—Upright to outwardly spreading.         -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Color.—Close to 146A. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple; sessile.         -   Length.—About 4.5 cm.         -   Width.—About 1.8 cm to 2 cm.         -   Shape.—Lanceolate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Cuneate.         -   Margin.—Serrate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 144A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 146B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 137B;             venation, close to 137B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and flowering habit.—Zygomorphic             bilabiate flowers arranged on terminal racemes; flowering             acropetally towards the apex; flowers face upright and             outwardly; freely flowering habit with about 20 to 24             flowers developing per raceme.         -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about five to seven days on             the plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Fragrance.—Moderately fragrant; floral, pleasant.         -   Natural flowering season.—In The Netherlands, plants flower             from spring to fall; flowering continuous during this             period; plants begin flowering about five to seven weeks             after planting.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 3 cm to 4 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 5 cm.         -   Flower height.—About 2.5 cm to 3 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 2.5 cm to 2.8 cm.         -   Flower depth.—About 1 cm to 1.8 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Shape: Ovoid. Length: About 1.4 cm. Diameter:             About 5 mm to 7 mm. Color: Close to 155B.         -   Petals.—Arrangement: Five petals; four upper petals are             fused at base to form an upright lobed and arched banner             lip; lower petal modified into a larger lip with convex oval             protuberance with serves as a pollinator nectar guide and             landing platform. Shape: Oval to rounded. Apex: Rounded.             Margin: Entire; lower lip, slightly sinnuate. Length: Upper             petals: About 2 cm. Lower petal: About 2 cm. Width: Upper             petals: About 2.5 cm. Lower petal: About 2.5 cm. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and             lower petals: When opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close             to N155C. Fully opened, upper surface: Upper petals, close             to N155C, nectar guides at the base, close to 93A; lower             petal, close to N155C, protuberance, close to 25A. Fully             opened, lower surface: Close to N155C.         -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Calyx star-shaped with five sepals             fused at the base. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Margin:             Entire. Length: About 6 mm to 7 mm. Width: About 2 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper             surface: Close to 144A. Color, lower surface: Close to 146B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 3 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Angle:             Erect to about 45° from vertical. Strength: Strong. Texture:             Scattered pubescence. Color: Close to 146A.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Angle:             About 45° from peduncle axis. Strength: Moderately strong.             Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 146B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity/arrangement: Four per             flower. Filament length: About 1.5 mm to 3.5 mm. Filament             color: Close to 155D. Anther shape: Oval. Anther length:             Less than 1 mm. Anther color: Close to 17A. Pollen amount:             Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 162A. Pistils: Quantity: One             per flower. Pistil length: About 2 mm. Style length: About             1 mm. Style color: Close to 145C. Stigma shape: Rounded.             Stigma color: Close to 145C. Ovary color: Close to 146B.             Seed/fruit: Seed and fruit development have not been             observed on plants of the new Nemesia. -   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Nemesia have not been     observed to be resistant to pests and pathogens common to Nemesia. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Nemesia have been observed to     tolerate wind and rain and have good garden performance. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Nemesia have been observed     to tolerate temperatures from about 0° C. to about 28° C. 

1. A new and distinct Nemesia plant named ‘Kirine-44’ as illustrated and described. 